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16 Shortcut Toddler Meal Ideas (Super Quick and Healthy!)

Use this list to help you make quick work of offering nutritious toddler meals. (Nutrition will vary based on specific ingredients you use.)
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 6 minutes
Servings 1
Calories 163kcal

Ingredients

  • Chicken and Corn Tacos: 1/4 cup rotisserie chicken + 1/4 cup thawed frozen corn + 1-2 tortillas + salsa
  • Quick Pasta and Peas: 1 cup star or alphabet pasta + 1/4 cup peas + 1 teaspoon butter + Parmesan
  • Cucumber Hummus Wrap: 1 tortilla + 2 tablespoons hummus + thinly sliced cucumber
  • Quick Pizzas: 1 whole-wheat pita bread or tortillas or English muffins + 2 tablespoons pizza sauce + 1/4 cup shredded cheese
  • Cheesy Veggie Toast: 1 slice whole grain bread + 1/4 cup shredded cheese + 2 tablespoons thawed frozen veggies
  • Quick Yogurt Parfait: 1/2 cup plain yogurt + 1/4 cup leftover roasted squash or sweet potato + 1/4 cup granola
  • Pasta and Marinara: 1 cup cooked pasta + 1/4 cup marinara sauce + parmesan
  • Apple Pancakes: 1 batch pancake mix + 1/2 cup grated drained apple + nut butter
  • Fruit and Yogurt Dip: 1/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt + 1 tablespoon almond butter + sliced fruit and veg + graham crackers
  • Shortcut Fried Rice: 1/2 cup fully cooked rice + 2 tablespoons frozen peas + 1 scrambled egg + 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • Bean and Cheese Quesadillas: 1 tortilla + 1/4 cup cheese+ 1/4 cup beans + salsa
  • Deluxe Cheese and Crackers: Whole grain crackers or snap pea crisps + sliced cheese + assortment of sliced veggies and fruit + beans
  • Spinach Banana Pancakes: 1/4 cup mashed ripe banana + 1 egg + 1/2 cup baby spinach
  • Veggie Grilled Cheese: 2 slices whole grain bread + 1/4 cup cheese + 2 tablespoons roasted mashed sweet potato
  • Cereal: 1/2 cup low sugar cereal + 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 cup fruit
  • Mac and Cheese with Veggies: Boxed mac and cheese + 1 cup broccoli or peas + side of fruit

Instructions

  • Chicken and Corn Tacos: Warm all ingredients except the salsa in the microwave for 15-30 seconds. Serve with salsa for dipping. (Trade in cocktail shrimp or beans for a vegetarian option.) 
  • Quick Pasta and Peas: Cook pasta according to package, adding frozen peas to the pot during the last 1-2 minutes of cooking. Serve with butter and cheese. You can also do couscous, quinoa, or rice instead of the pasta.
  • Cucumber Hummus Wrap: Spread hummus and cucumber on tortilla and roll up or fold. Slice in half to serve. (Flour or multigrain tortillas tend to be softer than corn, which can be helpful for younger eaters.) You can also serve this deconstructed for younger eaters.
  • Quick Pizzas: Cut pita into wedges and top with pizza sauce and cheese. Heat in the oven at 325 F or in a pan on the stovetop just until cheese is melted.
  • Cheesy Veggie Toast: Top toast with shredded cheese, thawed frozen peas, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, or corn, and microwave for 10 seconds to melt. You could also simply serve the veggies alongside cheesy toast too!
  • Quick Yogurt Parfait: Layer all ingredients in a small mason jar or bowl. Serve immediately. This also works with the yogurt and squash or sweet potato blended together—or with applesauce! (Use a favorite nondairy yogurt if needed.)
  • Pasta with Marinara: Toss just cooked pasta with a little warmed marinara and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Stir to combine.
  • Apple Pancakes: Add the apple to your favorite pancake batter (add 1 teaspoon cinnamon if it doesn’t have any) and cook as directed. Serve smeared with nut butter or a little honey. Toddlers (and big kids) love breakfast for dinner!
  • Fruit and Yogurt Dip: Stir together nut butter and honey to make a dip. Serve with sliced apple or pear, squash or cucumbers, and graham crackers. We love this sort of breakfast-for-dinner as a super quick toddler dinner!
  • Shortcut Fried Rice: Scramble an egg, stir in a 1/4 cup peas and 1/4 cup of rice and with a drizzle of reduced-sodium soy sauce. Add a fruit on the side like cut up cherries or melon.
  • Bean and Cheese Quesadillas: Add cheese and beans to one side of a tortilla. Warm in a skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes, fold the empty side of the tortilla over and press slightly. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes to finish. You can also warm this in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Add fruit on the side.
  • Deluxe Cheese and Crackers: Assemble a toddler-friendly snack plate that’s a simple assortment of the food groups. You can serve it on a regular plate or in a fun silicone muffin tin!
  • Veggie Grilled Cheese: Spread the sweet potato on on side of the bread. Add cheese to the other. Prepare normally for a comforting and veggie-packed sandwich. You can also try omitting the sweet potato and adding snipped spinach or kale instead. (Or even omitting the cheese and just using mashed sweet potato!)
  • Cereal dinner: Serve favorite cereal with milk or separate with cereal dry and milk in a cup with a side of fruit.
  • Spinach Banana Pancakes: Place the banana (or sweet potato) and egg into a blender. Add a handful of lightly packed baby spinach. Blend well, cook as small pancakes in a greased nonstick skillet over medium heat. (Full recipe here.)
  • Mac and Cheese with Veggies: Stir in a little frozen broccoli florets or peas to the pasta for the last minute or two of cooking of a favorite boxed mac and cheese. The kids are usually so excited about the mac and cheese that they’ll go ahead and eat the veggies too!

Notes

  • Add a simple side of fruit as needed.
  • Serve with water or milk.
  • Adjust the serving size and size of food pieces offered to fit the needs of your child.

Nutrition

Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 251mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 289IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg